Broken
by Bunny'sWinterRose
Summary: A TMNT fanfiction set during my fanfiction Girls Night, based on Leo's POV during the missing fight between Jessica and Raph and her decision to leave. I own no characters or places other then my OC.


**Broken**

_A TMNT fanfiction set during my fanfiction __**Girls Night**__, based on Leo's POV during the missing fight between Jessica and Raph and her decision to leave. I own no characters or places other then my OC._

My meditation was broken by the slamming garage door, Raph and Jess were back; and fighting again it would seem. This would make four, no five fights within someone's hearing range in six days. They were making it uncomfortable to stay around the lair, never mind directly in their company.

Sighing I rose to my feet, as the oldest brother, and leader it fell on me to settle them down, again. Making it to the dojo doors, I stood and listened for a moment. Might as well know what I'm walking into.

"What's got your tail in a bunch now? My god Raph he was just being polite!" Jessica's voice held an edge, something that usually happened towards the end of their fights; this seemed to be the beginning.

A dish slammed, and then shattered somewhere in the kitchen. _"What a hothead." _"You know damn well what's got me pissed!"

I could hear Jessica's soft foot falls as she entered the kitchen, moving towards Raph. "You're taking this too seriously. I didn't even get his name; he just walked up and started a conversation. No big deal."

"No big deal! He practically felt you up right there in the park!" I could hear Raph move into the living room, needing to gain some distance before his temper made him say something he'd regret.

Unfortunately, Jessica was right behind him. "My gosh Raph, he just offered his jacket for a minute because the breeze was so strong. Don't get jealous over nothing, it didn't mean anything." _"Let it drop Jess, stop pushing him."_

"If 'my girl' didn't flirt with every male that passed her by, maybe I wouldn't have a reason to be jealous!" I could see Raph's shadow now, arms held out to try and make his point.

"Oh, well by that standard, if you're counting all my interactions with 'males' as flirtation, then I'm hot for all you brothers, Splinter, and Casey as well." Jessica's voice held that edge again, and I cringed.

Raph laughed, cold and hard. "Might as well admit it now, I think Leo's in the dojo..."

"Don't even go there Raphael! My gosh, you're practically throwing me at your brother! What's wrong with you?"

I could almost see the snarl on Raph's face. "My problem is you've always wanted me to be Leo! You're always complimenting him, giving him so much praise! 'Leo's swordsmanship is unmatched, he's so skilled, such a good leader, on and on! Why don't you just go strew him and get it over with?!"

I took that as my queue to break this up, and pulled the dojo's doors wide before stepping through them. "Raphael, that's enough."

Turning slightly, his gaze could have bored holes into my head. His shoulders shook, his fist clenched and he chucked darkly. "There ya go Jess, your knight in shell clad armor, coming to your rescue."

Jessica was a dozen or so feet from him, her eyes barely holding back tears. It was time to end this. "Enough Raph, why don't you go cool off, then you can try again to work this out."

In four steps he had invaded my personal space, his finger stuck in my face. "This ain't none of your business Leo. Stay out of it."

Narrowing my eyes at him, he remained glued in his spot. "It is when you've got her like that." Drawing a sword, I pointed to my left and to a broken looking Jessica.

Raphael's eyes broke from me for just a moment, moving to look over Jessica and then meeting my own again; he huffed. "She's always like that when she doesn't get her way! Wish I'd never..."

Before I could react and stop him, Jessica's harsh voice broke through. "Wish you'd never what Raph? Saved me from Hun, stopped him for rapping me, brought me back here, befriended me, or fell for me?"

He said nothing as Jessica closed the distance between them and did the last thing I expected; she slapped him. His eyes narrowed but he never moved; I knew he'd never hurt her. "You should leave now Jess, before I say something we both regret."

I watched as she crumbled to the floor and he stepped around her. "I thought...what about our...I thought you loved me."

He sighed heavily, and we both turned to watch his back as he spoke. "We're both broken Jess, you can't put two broken people together and except it to work." Without looking back he walked out of the room and in instance from her life.

I moved to her side and lifted her shaking form from the floor. Her bloodshot blue eyes met mine and my heart statured. "Would you take me to April's, please Leo?"

Sighing I nodded to her request and within a half hour I had dropped her off with April and Casey.

Returning to the lair was difficult. I wanted nothing more than to pounch Raph for being so stupid. The best thing to ever walk into his life and heart had just walked away. He had lost her, maybe for good.

I found him in the dojo, destroying the punching bag, his anger giving away to grief as I approached him. Now standing just a foot or so behind him he acknowledged my presence but did not turn to face me. "Took her to April's?"

I nodded, knowing he was watching my shadow. "She asked to go after you'd left the room. She was silent the entire way though, maybe if you give her a few days..."

With one final punch the bag fell to the floor. "No, she's better off this way. We're no good for each other. Let her go Leo, I have."

He moved to walk past me and out of the room but I stopped him with a hand on his right shoulder. "When you convince yourself of that, I'll believe it too."

For several days I avoided unnecessary time with Raphael, and hadn't heard from Jessica. About noon on the third day my shell cell rang, it was her number. "Hey Jess."

Her voice was sad but she tried to hide it. "Hey Leo, sorry I haven't call; had to figure some stuff out."

Donny joined me at the kitchen table, curious if our "little sister" would be coming home as much as I was. "Don't worry about it, I'm glad you called, we've missed you."

"I've missed you too, and Donny, Mikey, and Splinter; even Raph...Listen Casey should be headed down soon. I've asked him to get my stuff from Raph's room; I'm gonna rent April's spear apartment for the rest of this month and maybe longer. I haven't figured that far ahead yet." Her voice took on a sad tone towards the end and I rubbed my eyes.

"No problem Jess, Donny and I will help if need be; we're both right here." Donny nodded toward me; we shared the same sad expression.

"Thanks Leo, but there's not that much to grab; don't really have a lot." I heard her sigh. "I'm just not ready for company yet, I'm sorry."

Donny motioned to the phone and I handed it to him. "Jess, its Don; listen, take as much time as you need; we'll be here when you need us."

I heard her sigh. "Thanks Donny, you're the best. Please give my love to Splinter and I'll call again in a few days."

Our eyes met before he answered her. "Will do, and remember we love you."

"Okay, tell Leo I'll talk to him later. Love y'all. Bye."

Donny's hand tightened on the phone and his eyes closed. "Bye Jessie." I heard the call end and a tear slipped from his eye. "She's not coming back."

A month later, I had just hung up the lair's wall phone after talking to Casey. He had just returned from moving Jessica to Virginia. She had waited just under a month after her fight with Raph to make plans to leave, hoping he'd want to talk but nothing ever came of it.

The hothead had held to his view that their relationship had been pointless and a waste of time. "Broke people can't be anything but broken together" was always his response. Not even news that she was leaving New York could change his mind.

I found him in the dojo, working out against the punching bag, but not with his usual effort. His movements were slow and clumsy, like he hadn't slept in days; and that probably wasn't to far from the truth. "Raph, Casey just called."

He stopped punching and began to undo the nearly new tape on his knuckles, before turning to face me. "Back already? She must've had stuff really lined up, good for her."

I watched as he threw the tape away and moved to walk past me. Just as he met where I stood I address a question that had bothered my heart since that night. "Why'd you really do it Raph? You'd been pushing her away for over a week, and none of the fights ever seemed to really matter. Not enough for her to leave. Why'd you keep pushing?"

His eyes widened and then dropped to his feet. None of the others had questioned his decision to leave her be, not even Master Splinter. "Cause she deserves a good life Leo. She deserves more than I could give her, and without a push she never would've fought for it."

Raph stood by the doors by the time I found my voice again. "You really do love her, and you let her go. That's probably the most selfless and stupidest thing you've ever done."

His eyes were the saddest I'd ever seen at that moment. "Yeah bro, I know." Then he walked away.


End file.
